Though it was pitched as a limited series, Netflix wants more of the Eric Bana-starring murder mystery.

Netflix’s hit series Untamed has been renewed for a second season.
Season 2 will see Eric Bana’s Kyle Turner investigate a new mystery in a different park.
A release date has yet to be announced.

Untamed, a tense and atmospheric thriller set deep within the rugged expanse of Yosemite National Park, just might be Netflix’s next hit franchise.

Created by father-daughter duo Mark L. Smith and Elle Smith, Untamed follows Kyle Turner (Eric Bana), a veteran investigator with the National Park Service’s elite Investigative Services Branch (ISB). While he’s no stranger to danger, nothing can prepare him for the grim discovery of a woman’s body at the base of Yosemite’s iconic 3,000-foot granite cliff, El Capitan.

Since debuting on July 17, Untamed has rapidly scaled Netflix’s charts, landing in the streamer’s TV Top 10 in 92 countries. According to Netflix, viewership more than doubled in its second week of release, boding well for its longevity.

The season 1 finale offers closure, with Turner ultimately solving the case and leaving Yosemite in the rearview mirror. But with the show’s growing popularity, fans are no doubt wondering: Will Untamed return for season 2?

Will there be a season 2 of Untamed?

Eric Bana in season 1 of ‘Untamed’.Ricardo Hubbs/Netflix

Although Untamed was originally pitched as a miniseries, Netflix has officially greenlit a second season. The streaming service announced the renewal on Tuesday, July 29.

“I am absolutely thrilled that we get the chance to bring another season of Untamed to life,” Bana said in a statement. “The response to season 1 has been a testament to the incredible effort by our crew to deliver something truly unique. I can’t wait to take Kyle on his next journey. Massive thanks to Netflix, John Wells Productions, Warner Bros. Television, and our fans.”

This move isn’t unusual for Netflix, which has a habit of reviving its limited series (like Beef and The Four Seasons) for additional seasons.

What happened at the end of Untamed season 1?

Sam Neill as Paul Souter in season 1 of ‘Untamed’.Netflix

Everything comes to a head in Untamed‘s season 1 finale. The Jane Doe discovered at the foot of El Capitan is revealed to be Lucy Cook, the estranged daughter of Turner’s boss, Paul Souter (Sam Neill). Lucy, we learn, was born from an affair and quietly placed with a foster family that turned out to be abusive.

When Lucy later came to Paul for help, he pushed her away, worried about the fallout if the truth of his affair got out. With no one willing to help, Lucy became involved with local drug smuggler Shane Maguire (Wilson Bethel). She also began demanding money from Paul, threatening to expose their connection.

According to Paul, things escalated until he confronted her with a gun, intending to scare her. In his telling, he accidentally shot her in the leg and lost her in the forest. In a flashback, Lucy, injured and emotionally broken, throws her body off El Capitan.

Paul, overcome with guilt, eventually admits his role in what happened and offers to help reinstate Turner, who’s been suspended, and keep him at the park. As Turner rejects the offer and walks away, Paul takes his own life and falls into the river below.

Omi Fitzpatrick-Gonzales as Gael Vasquez and Rosemarie DeWitt as Jill Bodwin in season 1 of ‘Untamed’.Netflix

The finale also reveals the truth about Turner’s son, Caleb, who was murdered in the park years earlier.

Turner’s ex-wife, Jill (Rosemarie DeWitt), now remarried, confesses to her current husband that she asked Maguire to kill the man responsible. This came after Turner refused to take action against the suspect without concrete evidence.

Turner later learned the truth, and Jill believes it was that betrayal, more than the tragedy of losing their son, that ended their marriage.

In the final scenes, Turner, who’s been hallucinating Caleb in the years since his murder, has one final vision of the boy and says goodbye. He also leaves rookie park ranger Naya Vasquez (Lily Santiago) a gift for her son and drives out of Yosemite.

What will season 2 of Untamed be about?

Eric Bana as Kyle Turner on ‘Untamed’.Courtesy of Netflix

While there’s no proper plot synopsis for Untamed season 2 as of yet, the show’s creators seem to have a strong grasp on where Turner will end up next.

Following the renewal announcement, creators Mark and Elle confirmed to Tudum that season 2 will take place in an entirely new national park. “Each national park has such a different cultural identity, geographical identity,” Mark said. “Being able to explore those places through the case and through Turner’s journey is what’s so fascinating.”

Elle added, “Our theme has been that this park is our main character, this park is sort of alive. We do want to maintain that thread. Whichever park we choose will be a character and it will kind of play a role in Turner’s emotional frame of mind.”

Who’s in the cast of Untamed season 2?

Lily Santiago as Naya Vasquez on ‘Untamed’.Courtesy of Netflix

So far, the only confirmed cast member returning for Untamed season 2 is Bana, reprising his role as seasoned park investigator Kyle Turner.

Speaking with Tudum, Mark admitted it would take some maneuvering to bring back season 1 players like Santiago’s Vasquez. He doesn’t count it out, though. “We’re trying to figure that stuff out because my God, we loved our cast and we loved the characters that they brought to life,” he said. “In an ideal world, we would be able to pull something off.”

That said, it’s safe to assume the next installment of Untamed will likely introduce a mostly new cast of characters to join Turner for his next investigation.

Where can I watch Untamed?

(L to R) Lily Santiago as Naya Vasquez and Sam Neill as Paul Souter in season 1 of ‘Untamed’.Ricardo Hubbs/Netflix

The first season of Untamed is now streaming on Netflix.